Dental arch

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Dental arch
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Permanent teeth of upper dental arch, seen from below.
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Permanent teeth of right half of lower dental arch, seen from above.
Details
Identifiers
Latin arcus dentalis mandibularis, arcus dentalis maxillaris
MeSH D003724
Anatomical terminology

The dental arches are the two arches (crescent arrangements) of teeth, one on each jaw, that together constitute the dentition. In humans and many other species, the superior (maxillary or upper) dental arch is a little larger than the inferior (mandibular or lower) arch, so that in the normal condition the teeth in the maxilla (upper jaw) slightly overlap those of the mandible (lower jaw) both in front and at the sides. The way that the jaws, and thus the dental arches, approach each other when the mouth closes, which is called the occlusion, determines the occlusal relationship of opposing teeth, and it is subject to malocclusion (such as crossbite) if facial or dental development was imperfect.

Because the upper central incisors are wider than the lower ones, the other teeth in the upper arch are arrayed somewhat distally, and the two sets do not quite correspond to each other when the mouth is closed: thus the upper canine tooth rests partly on the lower canine and partly on the lower first premolar, and the cusps of the upper molar teeth lie behind the corresponding cusps of the lower molar teeth.

The two series, however, end at nearly the same point behind; this is mainly because the molars in the upper arch are the smaller.

Since there are a standard number of teeth in humans, the size of the dental arch is of vital importance in determining how the teeth are positioned when they appear. While the arch can expand as a child grows, a small arch will force the teeth to grow close together. This can result in overlapping and improperly positioned teeth. Teeth may tilt at an awkward angle, putting pressure on gums when food is being chewed. This can ultimately lead to compromised gums or infections.

Dentists replace missing, damaged, and severely decayed teeth by fixed or removable prostheses to restore or improve mastication function. There is a fundamental question in any treatment plan, namely, the desirable/mandatory length of an occlusal table.

There have been various references in the literature to the concept of the short dental arch (SDA) as a defined treatment option for the partially dentate patient. While many dentists may accept that restoring the complete dental arch is not always necessary, there still is the need to provide the patient with an affordable and functional treatment, a need satisfied by the short dental arch. [1]

A hemiarch ( hemi- + arch) is the right or left half of an arch. It corresponds to 1 of the 4 quadrants.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dentition</span> Development and arrangement of teeth

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canine tooth</span> Long pointed tooth in mammals

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Premolar</span> Transitional teeth located between the canine and molar teeth

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malocclusion</span> Misalignment between upper and lower teeth as the jaws close

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Dental anatomy is a field of anatomy dedicated to the study of human tooth structures. The development, appearance, and classification of teeth fall within its purview. Tooth formation begins before birth, and the teeth's eventual morphology is dictated during this time. Dental anatomy is also a taxonomical science: it is concerned with the naming of teeth and the structures of which they are made, this information serving a practical purpose in dental treatment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Angle</span> American dentist (1855–1930)

Edward Hartley Angle was an American dentist, widely regarded as "the father of American orthodontics". He was trained as a dentist, but made orthodontics his speciality and dedicated his life to standardizing the teaching and practice of orthodontics. He founded the Angle School of Orthodontia in 1899 in St. Louis and schools in other regions of the United States. As the originator of the profession, Angle founded three orthodontic schools between 1905 and 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, New London, Connecticut and Pasadena, California. These exclusive institutions provided the opportunity for several pioneering American orthodontists to receive their training.

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Occlusion, in a dental context, means simply the contact between teeth. More technically, it is the relationship between the maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) teeth when they approach each other, as occurs during chewing or at rest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cusp (anatomy)</span> Pointed, projecting, or elevated anatomical feature

A cusp is a pointed, projecting, or elevated feature. In animals, it is usually used to refer to raised points on the crowns of teeth. The concept is also used with regard to the leaflets of the four heart valves. The mitral valve, which has two cusps, is also known as the bicuspid valve, and the tricuspid valve has three cusps.

This is a list of definitions of commonly used terms of location and direction in dentistry. This set of terms provides orientation within the oral cavity, much as anatomical terms of location provide orientation throughout the body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crossbite</span> Left-right misalignment of upper and lower teeth

In dentistry, crossbite is a form of malocclusion where a tooth has a more buccal or lingual position than its corresponding antagonist tooth in the upper or lower dental arch. In other words, crossbite is a lateral misalignment of the dental arches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tooth impaction</span> Prevention of tooth eruption by a physical barrier

An impacted tooth is one that fails to erupt into the dental arch within the expected developmental window. Because impacted teeth do not erupt, they are retained throughout the individual's lifetime unless extracted or exposed surgically. Teeth may become impacted because of adjacent teeth, dense overlying bone, excessive soft tissue or a genetic abnormality. Most often, the cause of impaction is inadequate arch length and space in which to erupt. That is the total length of the alveolar arch is smaller than the tooth arch. The wisdom teeth are frequently impacted because they are the last teeth to erupt in the oral cavity. Mandibular third molars are more commonly impacted than their maxillary counterparts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tooth mobility</span> Medical condition

Tooth mobility is the horizontal or vertical displacement of a tooth beyond its normal physiological boundaries around the gingival (gum) area, i.e. the medical term for a loose tooth.

Orthodontic indices are one of the tools that are available for orthodontists to grade and assess malocclusion. Orthodontic indices can be useful for an epidemiologist to analyse prevalence and severity of malocclusion in any population.

Occlusion according to The Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms Ninth Edition is defined as "the static relationship between the incising or masticating surfaces of the maxillary or mandibular teeth or tooth analogues".

References

PD-icon.svgThis article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1114 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. Debora Armellini, DDS, MS, and J. Anthony von Fraunhofer, "The shortened dental arch: A review of the literature" The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry Vol.2 No.6